Means to aid in regaining normal body locomotion



1940- B. M. TAYLOR 2.210269 MEANS TO AID IN REGAINING NORMAL BODY LOCOMOTION Filed Feb. 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

- 1940- B. M. TAYLOR 2.210.2 9

MEANS T0 AID IN REGAINING- NORMAL BODY LOCOMO'I'ION Filed Feb. 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 6, 1940 UNITED STATES MEANS 'ro AID IN REGAINING' NORMAL BODY LOCOMOTION Byron M. Taylor, La Mesa, Calif. I

Application February 1 8 Claims.

My invention relates to means to aid a person in regaining normal body locomotion who has lost the power of self locomotion because of the effect v which is done by these opposed muscle groups,

when one muscle or one set of muscles contracts,

the tone of its antagonist isv inhibited and the relative degree of contraction and inhibition depends upon the mass and speed of the organ in action. Thus in walking, the whole action of the leg and foot depends upon the relative degree of tone or elasticity of opposing .muscles connected to the bones of the hip, leg, and foot. These. opposing muscles are continuously taut like stretched'rubber bands. In infantile paralysis when one of these opposing muscle groups has been attacked leaving its opposing group unaffected, soon thereafter the affected muscle, be- 30 cause the disease prevents normal stimulation by the nerves, loses its elasticity and becomes flaccid;

Then its antagonist having no opposition, sharply contracts, thereby overstretching the defective muscle and pulling their skeletal member, suchas the foot, out of its normal position. Pathological literature stresses the fact that not until sometime later does atrophy of the afiected mus-. cle and other attendant evils begin. Because the affected muscle or muscles are abnormally stressed, the result is enfeebled circulation of the blood and constriction of the nerves. Because of these abnormal stresses thus set up, there is malnutrition of the bones. These abnormal stresses, plus immobility, over a period of time such as clubfoot. Under conditions such as these, not only will the afiected muscle atrophy, but its overly-contracted and disused antagonist will, after a time, also atrophy.

Modern treatment, to hold the aflected organ in normal position begins by putting the affected organ in plaster casts and braces; but such casts do not permit any movement of the affected muscle, and such immobility and disuse will oi itself may cause ankylosis of the joints and deformities, 7

result in regressive metamorphosis and atrophy.

, 1938, Serial No. 188,082

Accordingly it is proposed to; provide a means of skeletal-muscular reenforcement in the form of an' articulated brace means which may be applied to the patient at the end of the acute stage of the disease as soon as the affected group of muscles is discovered, which articulated brace means will not only support the affected body member, but which articulated brace means will also have yieldable tension members to substitute for the loss of elasticity of the afiected musm cle or group of muscles.

By providing such a means the over-extension of the aflected muscle and the over-contraction of its antagonist will be prevented, normal circulation will be maintained, abnormal strains and 15 stresses in muscles and deformities of bones will not occur; and because the limb will be held in a natural position, it may be exercised while the patient is convalescing; and with the patient kept in a normal position, all of his energy may be thus directed toward combatting the ravages of the. disease itself. I

Because of the muscle tone of a person, the skeletal and muscular system of each body member, as a leg or arm, is maintained in a state of equilibrium sometimes known in'the science of anatomy and physics as tone or resonance. By varying the tone or elasticity of the muscles, a tuned system is thus provided within the body for any particular function, such as walking or running, and this system accounts for the quickness and smoothness of bodily actions and for the tremendous amount of exercise the body can do by expending a comparatively small amount of energy. If 'a muscle or group of muscles loses its tone or elasticity, the tone of a body member actuated by those muscles is destroyed for all those actions which the affected member would normally perform, and its movement will then require excessive energy and will be awkward, jerky, 4

and spasmodic. In walking for example, under such conditions the entire complex system becomes unbalanced and distorted. In order to walk at all, the body is compelled by integrative adaptation, to ignore the afiected factors and to alter the unafl'ected factors and thus evolve a new system of locomotion resulting in a perverted function of the body members. I 7

It is proposedin addition to applying a. means of skeletal muscular reenforcement to the af- 5 fected organ so that tonic unbalance will be prevented, to also provide for the adjustment or variation of the said means so that resonance of the entire system, natural and artificial, be gained thus enabling the person to maintain normal memberof the body. I

At first an attendant will merely exercise the affected limb or member after the means of skel-. etal muscular reenforcement has been adapted thereto. Because the tension of the yieldable means of the articulated brace means may be aitered, the limb or member may be moved at different rates, and because the systemvis main- 10 tained at resonance, comparatively little energy will be required for movement, so that the patient will soon be able to aid in the exercise. During the later stages of convalescence, if in spite of the affected organ being kept and exercised in 16 resume normal locomotionalone, it is proposed to provide a means which attaches to the body and limbs of the patient and which aids and forces him through the normal environment of locomotion and which is to be used in combination with themeans which maintains tonic balance and muscular skeletal resonance so that the patient can re-educate himself in all the complicated reactions of self-locomotion.

The inventive idea involved is capable of re- I ceiving alvariety of expressions, one of which for purposesof illustration is shown in the 'acpanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the means to aid in regaining normal body locomotion, with .parts and portions broken awayto facilitate the illustration; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional a state of resonance, the patient is too weak to taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 61s a cam drive shaft 4, cam shafts l2 and I3, cam members and I, cam levers I and 9,,1ink members ,II and II, brace members I! and I8, foot Frame I, support members 2,- rear wheels 3,

supports l1, springs", ll, 20, 2|, 2'2, and 23 and" 5 the belt 25 constitute. the principal parts and .portions in my means to aid in regaining normal body locomotion.

The frame member I is of tubular construction members la and lb are secured together at their forward ends by the cross bar member le but not at their rearward ends. Also to the forward end of the bar member I a is secured the upper end of the bar member lb is secured by its upper end the other post member lm. The lower ends of these .two post members lm and Jnare seured together by the cross bar member. I j. Se-

7 cured to the rearward end of the'bar member la is one end of the member lc. The other end of this member lc is secured to the lower end of the post member in at its junction with cross bar member. II. To the rearward end of the ho'riand has the two parallel and horizontally'positioned bar members la and 1b. These two bar end of the postmember In and to the forward 2,210,269- movement and positions of the affected limb, or

similar in shape to the member lc. This member Id is secured by its forward end to. the lower end ofthe post member im at its junction wi h" the cross bar member If. Thus the tubular m ber la, lo and In all form one side of the frame 5 member I and alllie substantially in a vertical planejand the members lb, id, and Im all form the other side of the frame member I and all lie substantially in a vertical plane, and these two sides of the frame I are secured together at their 10 forward ends by the cross bar members I e and If as hereinbefore described. This is all shown best in Figs. 1 and 7 of the'drawings. The side of the frame I which includes the member la is supported at its rear end upon the wheel 3. This ll wheel 3 is revolubly mounted upon the stub shaft 3a, which shaft is rigidly secured by its end 3b through the frame member lc as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The portion 3c of the stub shaft 3a is of smaller diameter than the portion 3?) of the stub shaft 3a. The hub 3d is .ioumalled over this reduced portion and is held upon this stub shaft 3a by the nut 3e. Secured upon this hub 3d is the bevel gear 31, which gear 3! revolvesas the wheel 3 turns. Some of the spokes '2! 3g of the wheel 3 connect with the hub Id and some of thesespokes 3g connect with the bevel gear 3f at the periphery of its flange 3h. Meshing with this bevel gear 3! is the pinion gear to. This pinion gear to is keyed to the lower end of 80 the cam drive shaft 4 by means of the key lb and is secured upon the lower end of this drive shaft 4 by means'of the nut 40. This shaft is journalled within the support lp at its lower end, and this support lp is integral with the frame, NI member lc, all as shown best in Figs. 1' and 2 of the drawings. Hence,.as the wheel 3 revolves, the shaft] will also revolve because of the beveied gear if and the pinion gear la meshing therewith. i v 40 The side of the frame I which includes the member Id is supported at its rear end by a wheel 3 similar to the one supporting the side of the frame I which includes the member in. And, the wheel=3 supporting the side of the frame I 4; including the member Id also has bevel gears like 3; and 4a. This wheel is supported upon a stub shaft similar to 3a, which shaft is rigidly secured by one end in frame member Id:

. Secured to, the underside of the cross bar memso her If at the forward end of the frame I are the i an adjustment nut. To the lower end of the post In is secured the caster wheel' it, the rod wthereof telescoping into the tubular post lb. and secured' therein by an adjustment nut, thus pro- Q9 viding support'for the front end of the frame I v and also providing'a nfeans bywhich the front end of said frame may be adjusted up or down.

The cam drive shaft 5 is supported at its lower end by the journal member in, which member lp is integral with the frame. member lo and at its upper end by the journal member I 1', which mem- --ber Ir is integral with;.the'horizontal barla.

"frontal bar meniber lb is secured a member .ld

Thisishaft Q lies in the vertical plane defined by b theframe member la, lc, and In as here'inbetherewith. This pinion 4d drives the bevel m; and is shown in Figs. 1 and c, of the drawings. 1|

as shown best in Fig.1 of the drawings. Se-. cured about the hips andabdomen of the person i is a belt 25. Secured to each side of the belt 25 This bevel gear l2a is keyed to the cam shaft II to revolvetherewith.

The cam shafts l2 and I3, as shown .best in Fig. 7 of the drawings, lie in a common axis, which axis extends transversely across the forward end of the frame I, the one ends of said shafts being adjacent to each other midway along their common axis between the members la and lb. The cam shaft I2 is revolubly positioned between the bearing brackets It and I229. The cam.

shaft -l3 is revolubly positioned between'a bearing bracket (not shown) similar to It and downwardly depending from the under side of the bar lb and the bracket-I317. The bracket l t is downwardlydepending from the under side of the bar la as shown best in Fig. 3. The brackets l2b and l3b are both secured to and downwardly depending-from the tubular bar member lw, which bar lw extends transversely between bars la and lb and is secured thereto.

\ a The shaft I2 is driven through shaft 4 from the wheel 3 supported by frame member lc as receive a roller member 90 over a construction similar to roller 80. I

Transversely positioned across the upper front end of the frame l between the horizontal bar members la and lbuis the cam lever shaft member Is. This shaft Is is rigidly sjecured'between these members la and lb. The cam levers'll and 9 This roller, as hereinbefore described, engages.

are journalled upon this shaft Is by their upper ends 811- and 9a respectively as shown best in Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 7 of the drawings. In Figs. 1 and 7 a pair of cam lever members 8 and a pair of vcam lever members 9 are shown. Near the upper ends of each of the pair of cam lever'members 8 are secured a pair of roller support members 8b and 8d, these members 8b and 8d being positioned on opposite sides of the cam levers 8 as indicated I best in Fig. 5 of the drawings. It will be noted particularly in Fig. 5 that these support members 8b and 8d extend beyond the edge 811. of the cam levers- 8. .The member 8b has secured to its in side face the roller 80 by means of "the pin 8f.

with thegroove 6a of the cam memberli'. The

- support member 811 carries one end of the roller pin 89,-whichpin carries the roller 8e and which extends into the cam lever 8'as shown best in Fig.

5; This roller 8e engages the face of the cam member 6. The cam levers Stare provided with roller members similar to roller members 80 and lie to engage the cam 1.

To the lower end of each of the cam levers 9 is secured the link members I I'.

In Fig. 1 of the 'drawingsjithe figure of a person is illustrated in the relative position the figure will take with respect to the frame I. It will be noted in Figs. 1 and7 that support members 2 are shown. One support member is secured to the horizontal'bar la and the other support member is secured to the horizontal bar The upper ends 2a of each of these support members Z'will' engage'the body of the person under the arm pits,

. to secure link each of the cam levers a is secured a link member II]. To thelower ends of so as to be on opposite sides of the wearer and over each hip bone are a pair of lug members 25a. The lug 25a shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings is bored to receive the bolt l5d. To each of the horizontal barmembers' la and lb and directly opposite each other are secured by their a .one ends the support members lu by set screws li within sleeve lq. The sleeves lq are'integral with the respective bar members la or lb and the members lu may slide therein when released by set screw ii for adjustment up or down. A member lu is shown best in Figs. 1, 8, and. 9 of the drawings. The other end of each of these support members lu is bifurcated andthese bifurcated portions-iv and I2 are bored to receive the bolt tending between the bifurcated arms lo and la of the member lu and the lug 25a. are the ends of the bifurcated member-15c, the bolt Hut and.

the wing nut l5e'serving to hold these members in'the' position shown for them in 'Fig. v10 of the drawings. The bifurcated member I50. is provided with the stud l5a which extends through a bore in the upper end of the brace member l5 and is secured thereto by the nut l5b. Thus the upper end of this brace member l5 may pivot about the stud I50, and it may also swing about the axis of the bolt I511. The axes of the stud l5a and of the bolt I511 are at right angles to each other and both lie.in' the same plane. The position the brace member l5 will assume as it swingsabout the axis of the bolt 1511 is shown by dotted outline in Fig. 9 of the drawings.

The brace member I6 is pivotally connected to the lower end of the-brace member l5 at 1 51'. One end of the link member Ill is secured to the brace member l5 at lllb, and the other end of the link member I0 is secured to the lower end of the cam lever 8 as shown best in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

One end of the link member H is pivotally sel5d as shown best in Fig. 10 of the drawings. Ex-

cured to the brace member It at llb and the other end of thelink member ll issecured to the lower end of the cam lever 9 at l,la as shown best I in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

For purposes of adjustmentjthe brace member I5 is provided with a plurality of bores I52 through any one of which the pin lllb may be journalled to secure link I I! to brace l5. Similarly cam lever 8 is provided with a plurality of bores 8i through any one of which the pin llla may be journalled lll to cam lever 8. The brace member I6 is provided, in like manner, with a plurality of bores lBi to receive pin l lb to secure link II to brace l6, and cam lever 9 is provided with a plus rality of bores Eli-to receive pin lla to secure link I l to cam lever 9. u

The thigh of the individual is secured to the brace member l5 by means of the straps I59 and l5h, and the leg of the individual is secured to the brace member l6 by means of the straps lid and lfib. 'To the lower end of the brace member I6 is pivotallysecured the foot supports." by means *ofV-thepivot l'laf The individuals'foot is secured within this foot support by means of the strap llb, Between .the heel portionof the foot support I! and the strap l-6b is secured the tension spring l8. Betweenthe straps llib and l5g is secured the tension spring l9. Between the straps -l5g and the back portion of the belt 25 is secured the tension spring 20. Between the front portion of the belt 25' and the front portion of the strap l5g is secured the tension spring 2|. Be-

tween the front portion of the strap Hg and the front portion of the strap lfib and extending over.

the support I60 is another tension spring 22. Between thefront portion of the strap 16b and the strap Nb of the foot support I! is secured a ten sion spring 23.

The pivotal joints at Ilia, Illb, Ila, lIb, l5 and Ila are similar in construction to the pivotal joints disclosed in Fig. 11 ofthe drawings; The 10 Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line .II-rll ofFig. 8'and shows the link member I pivotally secured to the brace member l by means'of the bolt Illb. Between the link member In and the brace member I5 is positioned the bearingmember I be. Between the head of the bolt Nb and the side of the brace member I5 is positioned a washer member ID}. Between the face of the link member I0 and the nut'llldis the.

washer Ille.

The means to aid in regaining normal body locomotion is to be used in the following manner:

After the muscles affected by infantile paralysis or the likeare discovered, and should those muscles so affected be in the lower limbs of a person's body, the articulated brace means consisting of the belt 25, the braces l5 and IS, the foot support I'I, and the readily removable spring members It to 25 inclusive may be secured to the limb affected byinfantile pag'alysis or the like. This may be done'as-soon as the fever caused by the disease has subsided and should be done be; fore the affected members become atrophied. The belt 25 may be of any suitable type and is to fit over the hips of the person and around his' 35 abdomen. The articulated brace-members I5 and I5 are secured to the affected limb by means of the strap member Hg and Mk, I Be and I81), and by means of the foot support I! and its strap "b. The brace member I5 will be secured to the 'as hereinbefore described. It should be noted that the springs 20 and 2| are opposed to each other as are the springs l9 and 22, and I8 and 23, sh that when the limb is forced through the normal motion of walking that these opposed pairs of springs will be acting against each other in much the same manner as the muscles of the limb would be. Any spring tension desired may be attained simply by substituting a different 'sp'ring having a different spring tension wherever desired.. s

The individual wearing this articulated brace means may havethe aflected limb exercised by aid of an attendant, such attendant forcing the fi'ected limb through the normal motions of walking. Y In addition to the use' of the articulated brace means, there is-to be provided for use in'connection' therewith, a means which will force the affected limb through the normal motions of walking when'the individual 10 when the individual is moving forward. This means consistsof the frame I, the'support member .2, the rear wheel 5, the cam drive shaft 4,.

cm shafts I2 and, cams ,8 and I, cam levers i and 5 and links members I0, and II. This u means is' open at its rearward end as has been by infantile paralysis or the like, although in Fig.

is in an upright position and Y hereinbefore described so that the individual may be walked into this means between the horizontal bar members Ia and lb so thatthe support members 2 and particularly the portions 20 thereof come into engagement with the individual 5 beneath the arm pits. When in this position the articulated brace means may be connected to the horizontal bar membersia and lb by the pin lid being connected with the bifurcated portions I v and I2 of the members Iu, as shown-best in 10 Figs. 8, 9, and 10 of the drawings. At the same time the link members III may be connected with the'brace members l5 and the link members ll may be connected with thebrace members I6 all as hereinbefore described. While in Fig; 1 for illustrativev purposes, the person shown is wearin'g two of the articulated brace'means, one upon each ofhis lower limbs, and while the link members. I0 and II are shown connected .to each of these, it is to be understood that this may be varied from depending upon which ofthe limbs of the individual is affected.

As the individual moves forward while in con-' nection with .the means to aid in regaining normal body locomotion, the rear wheels 3 in turning will revolve the cam shafts I2 and I3, all as hereinbefore described, so as to revolve the cam members 6 and I about their said cam shafts I2 and I3. As the cam 6 revolves, the cam lever 8, because of its engagement with said cam mem- 50 ber6 will oscillate about the shaft Is and will move the link member III so as to cause the brace member IS in connection therewith to simulate the normal movement of vwalking. At the'same time the cam I willbe revolved about its cam shaft and because of its connection'withthe ,cam lever 9 will cause lever 5 to oscillate about the shaft Is so as to force the brace member I6. through its connection with link II to simulate the normal motion ofwalking. The pattern for 49 the cams 6 and 'I are such as to give to their respective-f'brace members I5 and IS the proper coordinatd"motion forwalking when the cams 6 and are themselves properly coordinated with respect to eachother upon cam shafts I2 and l3. 4;

While the inventive idea has received expression in a particular application namely, to walking, it is clear that the means'to aid in regaining normal body locomotion can be applied to any other body movement than walking. And-fur.- 50- ther', that the means can be applied to other members of the body than the lower extremities. Also the means of skeletai reenforcement may -be applied likewise to other members of the body thanlthe lower extremities to hold the aifected member in a normal position and to maintain -mmc balancein that member. The adaptation oi the means to aid in regaining normal body locomotion for the motion, of walking is for the purpose of illustrating the inventive idea. i I

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination, and arrangement, but desire to include in as the scope of my invention, the construction, combination, and arrangeninhsubstantially'as set forth in the appended claims. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and Eesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.,In a means to aid in regaining normal body -and limb locomotion, a mobile frame mounted upon wheels, a'cam and lever means in coopera- I tive connection with one of said wheels and onerated therefrom by the motion of said wheel, an articulate brace means in operative connection with said camand lever means and supported by said mobile frame member.

g 2. In a means to aid in regaining normal body and limb locomotion, a mobile fraine, wheels upon which said frame is movably supported, said frame including a pair of upwardly extending spaced apart body support members arranged I including a belt arranged to flt about a persons abdomen and over the hips, a brace member pivotally connected with said belt, said bracemember provided with strap members to be secured to a persons limb above the knee, another brace member pivotally connected to the aforesaid brace member adjacent the knee and having a strap members to be secured about a persons limb below "the knee, a foot support member in pivotal connection with the last mentioned brace members, and a plurality of opposed yieldable means connected between the aforesaid belt brace member and foot support at the front and back sides of the limbs.

.il 4.v In a means to aid in regaining nofmal and limb locomotion, a mobile frame member moimted on wheels including a pair of 1011- gitudinally extending spaced apart parallel bars, a shaft mountedb'etween said bars and operated do by one ofsaid wheels, a plurality of cam levers supported at their upper ends on said frame ar- 'ransedtooscillateabouttheaxisofsaidshaft,=

andapluralityofcammembersoneforeachcam lever in operative engagement with said cam levers to oscillate said levers as said cam members rotate.

5. In a means to aid in regaining normal body and limb locomotion, a mobile frame member mounted on wheels including a pair of longitudinally extending spaced apart'parallelbars, a shaft mounted between-said bars and operated by one of said wheels, a plurality of cam levers supported at their upperends on said frame arranged to oscillate about the axis of said shaft, a plurality of cam members one for each cam lever in operative engagement with said cam levers to oscillate said levers as'said cam members rotate, and a plurality of link members, one for each cam lever member in pivotal connection therewith and articulated brace means operatively connected with said link members.

6. In a meansof skeletal muscular reenfo'rcement, a'pair of articulated brace members including means for securing said brace members'to a person's body and limbs, and yieldable tension members .in connection with said articulated brace members, positioned in opposed tension relation to each other on the front and back sides I of the limbs. of said body and extending longitudinally of said limbs.

'7. In a means. to aid in regaining normal .body locomotion, a mobile frame member mounted on wlieels and supported thereby, a cam and lever means to simulate a normal body movement supported by said mobile frame member, and an articulated brace means inconnection with said cam and lever means:

' 1 8. Inameans to aid in regaining normal body locomotion, a mobile frame member mounted upon wheels and scam and lever and articulate brace means to simulate a normal body limb movement in cooperative connection with one of said wheels and operated therefrom by the motion of said wheel, said cam and lever means supported by said mobile frame member.

BYRON II. TAYLOR. 

